Solar panels perform not quite as well in winter as compared to summer due to the limited sun hours. NAIT underwent a study in 2012 accumulating 5 years of data to determine the actual effect of snow on solar panels laid out at various roof pitches. The result for modules without maintenance during the winter months was about 0% to 17% percent loss in generation depending on the module’s installation tilt. In comparison of seasonal generation, in winter months the generation is at least about 25% of the generation in summer months. In Alberta, solar energy generation in summer is high enough to account for any losses in winter months.
The cold temperatures in winter assist the production of electricity in solar panels and increase the efficiency of the panel. On the other hand, with temperatures exceeding 32 degrees, the panel efficiency decreases (). Generally the slippery surface, installed tilt and warmth of the solar panel allows the snow to brush off quickly on its own. Regardless of the lower energy production in winter months, most of the electricity generation is in the summer months with more sun hours, thus the annual production stays unaffected.
In the case that snow will not be able to slide off the panels completely, the electricity generation will be minimal to how much of the panel is exposed to the sunlight and not covered in snow. There are some solutions to this problem in place such as heat tapes, roof rakes, and hosing, but nothing such that is safe, effective and recommended to be used from our side. In any case, if you cleared snow off your panels everyday in the winter months, in total your annual generation would only be about 5 % greater than if not cleared. This is not much of an increase in generation to go through such lengths to clear the snow off the panels.
We design our solar panel systems taking account of the snow accumulation on the solar modules and size it therein to the maximum generation capacity.
Alberta is one if the sunniest places and its southern region is part of Canada’s Sun Belt. If Germany produces the most solar energy in the world, being half our size, then so can Alberta. Alberta also offers great government incentives, avail them while they last! Contact us and go solar now!